(a) Field
The present invention relates to a photoalignment agent and a liquid crystal display including the same.
(b) Description of the Related Art
In a liquid crystal element, to display images, that is, to switch liquid crystals between transparent conductive glass through an external electrical field, the liquid crystals are typically aligned in a predetermined direction in the interface between the liquid crystal alignment layer and the transparent conductive glass. The degree of uniformity of the liquid crystal alignment layer is an important factor for determining the display quality of the liquid crystal display.
In the conventional method of aligning the liquid crystals, a rubbing method may be used where a polymer layer such as a polyimide is coated on a substrate such as glass and the surface is rubbed in a predetermined direction by using a fiber material such as nylon or polyester. However, minute particles or an electrostatic discharge (“ESD”) may be generated when the fiber material and the polymer layer are rubbed against each other, and may cause a serious problem during the manufacturing of the liquid crystal display panel.
To solve this problem, a light alignment method where anisotropy is provided to the polymer layer by light irradiation to align the liquid crystals has been researched.